The Immortals I killed them, but they would not die. Yea!…
““The Immortals I killed them, but they would not die. Yea! all the day and all the night For them I could not rest or sleep, Nor guard from them nor hide in flight. Then in my agony I turned And made my hands red in their gore. In vain - for faster than I slew They rose more cruel than before. I killed and killed with slaughter mad; I killed till all my strength was gone. And still they rose to torture me, For Devils only die in fun. I used to think the Devil hid In women’s smiles and wine’s carouse. I called him Satan, Balzebub. But now I call him, dirty louse.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A visceral depiction of relentless inner torment, where the speaker's attempts to eradicate personal demons only intensify their presence, reflecting the futility of violent self‑destruction.
In simple terms: Violent struggle against unending inner demons.
Key Takeaway
Violence beens the very evil it seeks to destroy.
Themes
inner conflict
despair
self‑destruction
mythic imagery
psychological horror
Mood
haunting
intense
desperate
Type
poetic
philosophical
dark
When to use this quote
- nightmarish introspection
- creative writing about mental anguish
- analysis of poetic symbolism
- therapy sessions exploring self‑harm
- discussions on existential dread
Key Concepts
the devil as metaphor
the futility of force
the cyclical nature of suffering
the darkness within
Practical Applications
- psychological counseling
- literary analysis of trauma
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the speaker's repeated killing suggest about coping mechanisms?
- How does the poem's imagery reshape our view of the 'devil' within?